Entire village washed away: Cloudburst triggers flash floods in Uttarakhand - what we know so far

NEW DELHI: A powerful cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Tuesday triggered devastating flash floods, sweeping away houses, hotels, and entire parts of Dharali village in the Kheer Ganga valley. Locals reported widespread destruction, with many homes submerged or washed away in the surging waters. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as residents ran for safety amid the chaos.

The cloudburst occurred in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, which led to a sudden and violent flow of water and debris through the village. Visuals from the area showed a torrent of water tearing through the mountainous terrain, while terrified voices echoed in the background. According to residents, quoted by news agency PTI, around 10 to 12 people are feared trapped under debris, and as many as 25 hotels and homestays may have been destroyed.

🚨 "𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁." 🪖

📍Kheer Gad, Dharali Village | Uttarkashi | 1345 Hrs, 05 Aug 2025

A massive mudslide struck #Dharali village in the #KheerGad area near Harsil, triggering sudden flow of debris and water through the… pic.twitter.com/FwPPMrIpqu

— SuryaCommand_IA (@suryacommand) August 5, 2025

Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the large-scale destruction caused by a cloudburst in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district. Shah assured full support from the Centre and said that both National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) teams have been directed to reach the affected area immediately.

उत्तराखंड के धराली (उत्तरकाशी) में फ्लैश फ्लड की घटना को लेकर उत्तराखंड के मुख्यमंत्री से बात कर घटना की जानकारी ली। ITBP की निकटतम 3 टीमों को वहाँ भेज दिया गया है, साथ ही NDRF की 4 टीमें भी घटनास्थल के लिए रवाना कर दी गई हैं, जो शीघ्र पहुँच कर बचाव कार्य में लगेंगी।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 5, 2025

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy. “The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali region is extremely sad and distressing,” he said. “SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing.” The Chief Minister added that he was in constant touch with senior officials and closely monitoring the situation.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali (Uttarkashi) region is extremely sad and distressing. SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war… pic.twitter.com/yw6UAt7f7y

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2025

The Indian Army also responded swiftly. Troops from the Ibex Brigade under the Army's Surya Command reached the disaster site to support ongoing rescue operations. They confirmed a massive mudslide in Dharali village at 1.45pm on Tuesday, which caused a sudden rush of water and debris through the settlement.

What we know so far:

• The cloudburst took place in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river near Harsil in Uttarkashi.
• Several houses, along with 20–25 hotels and homestays, have reportedly been swept away.
• Around 10–12 people are feared trapped under the debris, according to villagers.
• Rescue efforts are underway involving the Indian Army, SDRF, NDRF, and district authorities.
• The chief minister is monitoring the situation and has promised all possible help.
• The Army’s Ibex Brigade was immediately mobilised and is conducting relief work in Dharali.
• The full extent of the damage is still being assessed as operations continue.